Goodbye Star Trek

Paramount has confirmed what has become increasingly foreseeable over the past weeks: Star Trek: Enterprise has been cancelled due to low viewer ratings. The last episode of the fifth TV series in the Star Trek universe will air on May 13. (Press release.)

This is sad news for two reasons. Firstly, 2005/06 will be the first TV season not to feature new Star Trek episodes since Star Trek: The Next Generation began in 1987. That's a full 18 year-run of non-stop Trek that's coming to an end here.

Maybe it's for the best, though. Although producers and network executives tell us not to expect a new Star Trek series for at least three years, it is hard to believe that Trek will disappear forever. It simply is too popular a franchise for that. Enterprise's low ratings might well have been the result of too much Star Trek, and sci-fi shows in general. As creator Rick Berman said: "The fact that we've done 624 hours of Star Trek over the last 18 years... there's a point at which you can reach a sense of overkill. It's probably good to lay fallow for a while to rejuvenate."

What really frustrates me - and this is my second point - is that while Enterprise's first three seasons were wasted on storylines that were boring, uninspired, and out of sync with many general ideas of Star Trek, its fourth (and final) season has been quite simply amazing. The show is finally living up to its potential as a prequel series to the original show with Kirk and co. At last, Enterprise is giving its viewers stories that are deeply connected to future events in the Star Trek timeline and reviving well-known species; not to mention, for once, some fine acting. Unfortunately for all Trekkies, it's too late.

JJtags:

• startrek
• television